Heatwave

Byron · Post by **Byron** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 12:51 pm

Pete, I recently treated myself to a Tanglewood acoustic. It has wire (not nylon) strings, and it has taken a few weeks to get my fingertips to act dead. However, I'm now revisiting the old stuff I used to play when I was in my teens and twenties, and starting to get to grips with some of lc's music. I've used musicroom.com to buy 'The Concise Leonard Cohen' which I recommend if you haven't got it. I've also got 'Leonard Cohen, Recent songs' published in 1980 from ebay. It has 10 songs arranged for 'easy guitar.' The one I'm using most to get me up to speed is 'The Big Guitar Chord Songbook - The Sixties' from our local Bookland Shop for only £9:95. It has 80 songs, and to be honest, there are some I've never heard, or I was too pickled at the time they came out, to notice them. I'm taking my time because I don't want to cut too deep into my fingertips, which will leave me unable to play for a couple of days. I've even tried the Ceris Matthews method of hardening the skin on my fingertips, but it doesn't seem to have made much difference. Anyway, I was quietly 'picking' my way through some simple chord changes the other evening, when an aquaintance of ours

looked in to the room, wondering if I'd put a new CD on the player. "Wow" I thought to myself, and then had a hell of a job getting my head through the doorway. However, I find that as in most things in life, when you are on a learning course, its 2 steps forward, immediately followed by 1 step back. I shall persevere and continue to admire your own achievements. Best regards from Byron.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 8:20 pm

John
I have the leonard Cohen Anthology which contains a majority of his songs up to and including 'I'm Your Man'. I also have 'The Future' songbook, 'Songs of Love and hate' and, like you, 'Recent Songs'. None of these can beat the original 'Songs of Leonard Cohen' songbook which painstakingly illustrating which finger to put on which string..thats the one I learnt from many moons ago...contains all songs from his first 2 albums
My finger tips have many layers of hard skin which, without constant practice, easily soften. I still play me Nylon stringed guitar for Suzanne and Bird on a Wire but otherwise I stick to the steel stringed yamaha.
If we meet at Gloucester, or anywhere else, we will have to take our guitars.

Do you use a plectrum or fingernails? I used to have trouble with my nails splitting ( I dont use a plectrum) but they seem OK now.. it's not only women who have to look after their nails

BTW What is the Ceris Matthews method of hardening fingertips???

Keep up the practice.. I've been practising for 30 years and I still cant play Sisters of Mercy...well, I can play it but it doesn't sound right

regards
Pete

Byron · Post by **Byron** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 8:34 pm

Hello Pete. I am still strumming to get the chord sequences into my grey cells. I use a very soft plectrum. Years ago we used to be able to get soft cloth-type plectrums, but the new kids in the music shops haven't seen any at all !
I use the plec for gentle picking.
The Cerys Matthews method as told by her to Michael Parkinson on his recent TV programme was to dip your fingertips in some newly produced liquid containing strong essence of uric acid.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 9:23 pm

John
I think you are taking the p***

I'll not try that one. J20 might work though.

Pete

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 10:49 pm

Excuse me...I want to know if the gif is here......

Byron · Post by **Byron** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 11:17 pm

the gif has arrived.
Pete, I jest not. Cerys was quite seriously advocating the aforementioned 'home produced brew.' Lets face it, the Dali Lama has to dispense his own 'brew' to his followers, who revere its health giving qualities, and they Drink it!!!!

Paula · Post by **Paula** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 12:14 am

I am a bit concerned that Sandra and Byron are going to set the site on fire

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 12:27 am

mmmPaula !
Byron and I promise to burn each other only.
(do not misunderstand me please) I mean with mystic fire of LC music and his fans.
I was looking for a candle a lot and al last I found this.....isn´t it pretty?
Thank you Jarkko for helping me puting it here.!

Byron · Post by **Byron** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 12:39 am

Sandra, you could have asked the 'Sisters of Mercy' for one of their candles.

Post by **jarkko** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 8:29 am

Inspired by all those avatars you've got I introduced one for myself, too -- it's one of Eija's (my wife) ice sculptures from last winter.
Jarkko

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 9:04 am

Jarkko ~

If Eija's ice sculpture is a heart, it's lovely. If it's not, I wonder what it is. In either case, I wonder how she got the orange and cranberry-red glow.

Post by **jarkko** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 11:08 am

Yep, it's a heart - illuminated by two candles behind the ice.

Paula · Post by **Paula** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 3:11 pm

That is so pretty Jarkko - there is a place somewhere in your neck of the woods that has an ice hotel isn't there.

Post by **jarkko** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 4:13 pm

Oh yes, in Kemi, Lapland, the Northern part of Finland. It's used some 4 to 6 months each year, and of course they have to re-build it for every Winter!
Jarkko

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 6:35 pm

there is no light there Byron...
"Don't turn on the lights, you can read their address by the moon. "

Heatwave

no heat here....

candles

to Byron